Improvement in breech-loading fire-arms



ANDREW BURGESS, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

I MPROVEMEN'I: IN BREECH-LQADING FIRE-ARMS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 168,829, dated October 19, 1875; application led June 20, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDREW BURGEss, of Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Breech-Loading Fire-Arms; and I do hereby declare that the following is aA full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and usevthe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specication.

y This invention relates to that class of lirearms that are to be loaded at the breech and consists in the construction and mode of operating the breech-block, firing-pin, and extractor, and also the mode of cocking the hammer, and in the arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter more fully set forth and described.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. l represents a view of a gun having my improvements, with the breech closed and hammer down. Fig. 2 shows the breech open, the hammer at full cock, and a cartridge in position, ready to be driven in by the closing of the breech. Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the line .t x. Fig. 4 is a top view ofthe breechblock, showing the locking-lever and its relation to the firing-pin.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A is the receiver, which contains the breechblock and other mechanism of the gun. B is the breech-block, which is pivoted or hinged to the receiver at the point c, and is placed in a mortise or chamber in the receiver, so that its forward end may be raised and turned back to open, and turned forward and lowered to close, the breech. The breechblock is also furnished with a locking-bolt, E, and a circular or eccentric projection, D. The hammer, being operated by the rear and back of the breech-block L, is ofthe usual form, and may be placed on the outside of the stock, or in a mortise in the receiver. The extractor P is operated by the bar O, which is forced forward by the projection t' when the breech-block is rotated. This forces the lower arm ofthe extractor P forward, and its further motion is produced by reaction of the Spring K.

The firing-pin is partly cut away toward its forward end, so that the lever E may enter and operate against the projection so formed forl withdrawing it. This is effected when the point n of the lever is turned out of its notch in the receiver in the act of unlocking the breech. Said lever being pivoted on the opposite side of the breech-block, it operates directly against the above-mentioned projection of the firing-pin and forces it back. Then, as the breech-block is raised, its rear and upper part L, by contact with the hammer, forces it back so that when the block is turned to its full motion the hammer has reached the full cock, the projection t has also reached and forced forward the bar O, thus operating the extractor. The spring K giving the shell a quick impetus, it is thrown violently against the incline m, which causes it to glance upward and clear of thegpiece. A new cartridge being placed in the receiver, as seen Fig. 2,

and the breech-block turned forward, the curved part D forces the cartridge before it into the barrel-chamber, and also sets the extractor by the ange of the cartridge, forcing its upper arm forward, as seen in Fig. 1, and the locking-bolt springs forward and locks the breech-block, as seen in the same gure, while the hammer remains at full cock, ready to discharge the cartridge by pulling the trigger, in the ordinary manner.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. The breech-block B, pivoted at the rear, and having a circular or eccentric part, D, operating upon and forcing the cartridge into the chamber of the barrel by the act of closing the breech, substantiallyas described.

2. The breech-block B, pivoted at the rear, and so arranged with and in relation to the hammer that the act of opening the breech cocks it by the rear of the breech-block coming in contact with the face of the hammer and'forcing it back, substantially as specified.

3. The locking-lever D, which, by its backward or unlocking motion, engages a shoulder in the firing-pin F, forcing it rearward by direct contact, so that the point of the firingpin shall be thus cleared of the indentation in the head of the cartridge, substantially as described.

ANDREW BURGESS.

Witnesses:

JOHN PoLLrrr, WM. E. SIMoNDs. 

